


Reunion

by fhsa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Future Fic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-20
Updated: 2005-01-20
Packaged: 2019-02-05 17:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12799059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhsa_archivist/pseuds/fhsa_archivist
Summary: AU from the end of Covenant.  This is the second story in a series.  The first part is Redemption, and can be read here: either under my stories on the FHS Archive or at http://www.mlleelizabeth.com/pfa/redemption.html  Written for Wave 10 of the Clexfest at: http://www.kardasi.com/  Challenge:  HomecomingThank you drkcherry and peach1250 for beta reading.Disclaimer: Smallville is property of Millar & Gough Ink and TRP and the WB.  The original Superman concept is property of  DC Comics and Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.  I'm just temporarily borrowing their characters for fun, rather than profit.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

REUNION

 

Home, crummy little basement single dorm room that it was, would be so much better than this, Clark thought, as he leaned against the wall next to Dr. Warner's office, watching students walk by in groups of three or four. He could hear girls chattering about their weekends, about who didn’t come home until Sunday morning and who was caught in the janitor’s closet with someone else’s boyfriend and what was she thinking when she borrowed my aqua silk blouse without asking. He hoped Dr. Warner would show up soon so he could turn in his paper and get to his part-time job at the Daily Planet already. More girls walked by, exuding more party chatter, and hissing gossip about Katie someone running for something and she's such a skank compared to Susie. Why did this hallway have to be so noisy?

 

Just before he gave up and slid the paper under the door, Dr. Warner walked around the corner, and caught his eye in recognition. He turned to get out from under her gaze and saw what the girls are all chattering around - a bulletin board, completely covered in posters promoting Homecoming Queen candidates.

 

He shook his head absently and followed Dr. Warner into her office. 

 

“What’s got you so distracted, Mr. Kent?” she asked, as she took the paper from him. “I hope it’s not reflected in your paper. Your work in my class has been good so far.”

 

"I'm sorry, Dr. Warner. It's just that I need to get to my afternoon job." Clark said.

 

"Oh, I didn't know you were a working student. I realize many students need the extra income, but just make sure your job doesn't get in the way of your education. I've seen a few too many young people become too enamored of the money they're making from low-level jobs and drop out of school."

 

"No, no, I won't. It's just an internship."

 

"Well, that's better, then. Just make sure you're getting the full college experience, Mr. Kent. It’s not just what you learn in classes."

 

"I don't really have time for much beside the internship and classes, Dr. Warner." 

 

"You're a returning student, aren't you, Mr. Kent? Perhaps you could join the Non Traditional students Organization. I know they've been a big help to some of my other older students."

 

"Um, thank you. I'll check them out. I'm sorry, but I really do have to get to my internship now, Dr. Warner."

 

"Certainly. Don't forget your next paper is due on the thirtieth and do look into the NTSO." 

 

Clark spent the remainder of his day at the Daily Planet. He hadn't been lying to Dr. Warner. His position was a sort of undefined flunky, and really not a job, but more of a paid internship, and an exception to their rule of summer-only internships, thanks to Clark playing remember me with Perry White. It consisted partly of trotting around the newsroom bringing people far more important than him Danish and coffee but mostly he was on the phone, fielding calls from co-workers annoyed girlfriends and calling every school principal in town to see if they're declaring a snow day. It kind of sucked.

Then today it began to suck even more.

 

"What are you doing, Smallville? We're not paying you a pittance and sharing our years of wisdom and knowledge so you can navel-gaze."

 

Lois Lane. Abrasive, condescending and smart as a whip Lois. When she was actually in the newsroom, she made him feel like he was her personal slave. And if he didn't respect her writing so much, or want the pittance he made from this internship so much, he would have told her to stuff it. 

 

"It's not like you have girlfriends to moon about or parties to look forward to. What's going on in that head of yours, anyway?" she asked, shoving a stack of papers at him. Then went on, without waiting for an answer. "Why are you a twenty-year old freshman, hmm? Took you that long to drive the tractor up from your hick town, huh Smallville?"

 

Clark picked up the papers she'd shoved at him. They were copies of invoices and ledger pages from the Metropolis City Manager's office and he could already guess she was going to ask him to add every column and track every invoice for her.

 

"I was helping with my parents' farm, if you must know." Clark said. "And I may not fit in, but I like college."

 

*snort* "Yeah, you act like you like it. What with the never hanging out there or having anything to do with anyone who goes there, and all. Check all those figures for me. And track the invoices. Put a post-it on the ones that don’t show up under expenses. And have it to me by four. This is going on the front page of tomorrow's Metropolitan section if I'm right, so I need it on time and without screw-ups. Got it?"

 

"Got it."

 

What the hell, Clark thought. Had the whole world morphed into Principal Reynolds today? He got his class work done, held down his part time job well enough, had his morning and evening routines and spent his spare time on discreet rescue missions. Wasn't that enough?

 

Apparently not. 

 

"Wonderful, Smallville. Maybe if you could get some friends, too. Or even a life."

 

Great. Now Lois, despite her own lack of a life outside of the Planet was going on and on about his lack of friends. Clark took the ledger pages and invoices and sulked off to an empty desk with a calculator.

 

By the end of the day, he'd not only triple checked the math, found eight rather large invoices for furniture that would be rather out of place in a city office and had been paid but never made their way into the City accounting records. He'd also managed to pretend to ignore more of her pointed jabs at his lack of a life.

 

He grabbed some greasy junk from the Burger Hut across from the campus and went home to two chapters of biology homework, research for his Journalism and The Law class and listening to the guys down the hall talk about their weekend plans.

 

At least he had two days free from meddling professors and co-workers. But then again, it was Friday and weekends always made him feel a little more lonely. Of course, he'd spend half of Saturday at the Planet and all of Sunday in the library and that always helped, but, still. He could make a quick trip home, and Mom always loved to see him, but by the end of the weekend, she'd have asked him about who he'd met and what he'd been doing with his friends. He usually lied, a little, and felt guilty about it. But really, since Pete left in high school, Lana had gone to some fashion merchandising something on the west coast and Chloe went to Missouri he'd not really made any new friends. 

 

It's not that he didn't want friends, really. He just didn't want to start over with the lying to people thing. It had driven off most of the people he cared about. Still, it would be nice to be around other people without their being in imminent danger. 

 

*Whump* *Whump* *Screech*

 

'Speak of the Devil," he thought, slipped into his sneakers, ran up the stairs to the roof of the building and flew off in the direction of the weird thumping and dragging noises.

 

After a weekend of fighting the urge to go home for a visit, Monday morning finally came for Clark. He started his morning routine by retrieving a small lead box from his bottom desk drawer and sitting cross-legged on his bed with it in his lap, but didn't open it. For exactly fifteen minutes, he held the box and thought about everyone he helped the day before and what he did right each time and what he could have done better. Meditation finished, he next made his daily phone call to LexCorp. The friendly professional voice he heard on being connected with Lex's office is always the same, but the names have changed several times over the years, so he's never tried to get to know any of his secretaries. The friendly voice tells him Lex won't take his call. Thus sadly reassured that nothing's changed, Clark hung up and started getting dressed for class.

 

During his Sunday library marathon, he'd convinced himself that maybe Dr. Warner and Lois are actually right and he should find some student organization to join, so on his way to Journalism class, he dropped by the Student Life office.

 

It seemed that maybe he wasn't quite non-traditional enough for the NTSO. Judging by their poster, they were focused on juggling kids, careers and school. Clark moved on to the other posters. He couldn't afford to join a fraternity and besides, he was not the type they usually pledged. His internship required too much of his time for him to be involved on the school newspaper. There was an academic fraternity associated with the school of journalism, but he'd dropped by there before, and it was about as geeky and as lackluster a group as he could imagine. No way was he going to join a college version of 4 H. Damn, this was hopeless.

 

Moving on to a second bulletin board, Clark discovered there were also several service organizations, including one that looked like it might be a chapter of a big national one that he could get sort of lost in. That sounded like something he could handle, but it didn't meet until Wednesday and anyway, he was sure he'd already missed their pledging deadline for this semester. There was a Habitat for Humanity group he made a note to look into and, oddly listed with the service groups, several school-spirit type organizations, including a group that cared for Bowser, school's mascot, and another in charge of the flashcard section. He'd pass on those. 

 

Other than a service organization he might be too late for, things didn't look too good, but then he saw the Bulldog Buddies, a group that appeared to be a sort of general Met U greeters organization, run by the alums. Now that would be a good way to meet people without actually getting involved with them, Clark though. Their office was in the Administration Building, which he could swing by between bio class and the Planet that afternoon. 

 

The Bulldog Buddies turned out to be a liaison between the school, alums, and recruiters. In addition, they helped with prospective student visitors and during freshman orientation in the summer. And they were also desperate for help. 

 

"You want to sign up?" asked the lone volunteer manning the office. Her blue and white nametag proclaimed her name was Sandi. 

 

"Yeah, I think so," Clark said.

 

"Okay. We have more volunteer opportunities right now than volunteers, so you're pretty much going to get your pick. We mostly need people at the Student Union to greet alums during homecoming weekend. Can I talk you into that?"

 

Homecoming again. Ugh. He wasn't too fond of Smallville's homecoming and had hoped to avoid it at Met U, but it was jumping up in his face at every turn, lately. 

 

"I'm not really into homecoming. Do you have anything non-homecoming related?"

 

"Well, we have a recruiter coming on campus that weekend to interview some grad students, and we usually assign someone to the major corporate recruiters to make sure they find everything okay and have everything they need. It's kind of a big deal, though. You have to be a little bit of a suck up and gopher." 

 

"Heh. I have training in gophering and dealing with people who think they're important at my internship."

 

"Well, all right, then. Be here at nine o'clock Saturday morning to meet your assignment." She slid the volunteer sheet across her desk and Clark added his name.

 

He spent Tuesday focused on simple things: studying, going to class, and attending to his routines. Thankfully, Lois' story on the City Manager's accounting mismanagement had gone over well with Perry White, so he'd allowed her to work on a follow up and she'd gone to Indianapolis to interview a former Assistant City Manager who'd left Metropolis under somewhat sketchy circumstances. 

 

Wednesday morning, before he had to sit through Dr. Warner's tedious hour of history, he donned his blue Met U T-shirt so he'd fit in and headed back to the Student Life offices. There was a fairly bustling crowd in the hallway, but he made his way through and located the room set aside for the local chapter of Sigma Alpha Alpha, also known as the Student's Assistance Alliance. 

 

Like the hallway, the office was bustling with activity and it took him several attempts to get someone's attention. When he finally did, he was directed to an officious guy named Brett who advised him that pledge week had been held during the third week of September.

 

"No exceptions?" Clark asked.

 

"Yeah, occasionally. It's not like we're inclined to turn down people who want to help. But at this point most of the good projects are taken. One thing you can do, though, is take the early morning float building shift tomorrow. We're behind schedule and could use someone with muscle, which you look like you've got plenty of."

 

Brett was clearly checking him out as he said this and float duty was just about the last thing he wanted. 

 

"There's nothing else I could do?"

 

"Not really. Look, it's not that bad. And if you'd signed up in September like everyone else, you'd have already gone through over a month of pledge projects by now. I'm giving you a chance to make most of that up in a couple of hours."

 

Clark didn't know how to argue with that. He couldn't exactly admit he'd been strung up as a scarecrow back when he was a dorky freshman in high school and ever since had an aversion to homecoming festivities. And with no Friday classes he was pretty much out of excuses.

 

"Okay. Where do I go?"

 

Brett beamed a smile at him and proceeded to give him detailed directions.

 

At least when Dr. Warner stopped him after class to see how he was doing, Clark was able to tell her was getting involved with extra curricular activities and that he'd be working on a float the next morning. She appeared to be quite pleased. "It's good to see you getting involved, Clark."

 

He beat a hasty retreat so he wouldn't have to go into detail about it with her. Instead he could immerse himself in the study of canine muscular systems in biology class. He wasn't scheduled to intern at the Planet on Thursday afternoons, so after bio class he was free to study or hang around campus for the rest of the day. He took his research notes and headed to the Starbuck's franchise at the Student Union and settled in for an afternoon of studying. 

 

The booth for voting for homecoming queen was next door and there were posters everywhere. Apparently Katie the alleged-Skank was a sweet and attractive looking Chi Omega with reddish-blonde hair. Susie Clifton was a stereotypically golden-blonde, cheerful Tri-Delt. Their competition consisted of Lori, a pretty dark-haired DG, and Morgan somebody who wore glasses and was a member of a sorority whose name someone tore off her poster. Nice. Clark thought this was definitely one part of getting involved in school he could do without.

 

Friday morning Clark followed Brett's precise directions and found himself in the Metropolis First United Methodist Church parking surrounded by a handful of earnest looking volunteers and about five hundred rolls of blue crepe paper. The SAA float was titled "Met U's Helping Spirit through the Ages” and was designed to featured students dressed in period costumes on stands holding signs or models representing the various major service projects they'd performed over the years. 

 

The shift's leader sized him up and immediately asked him to climb to the top of the float and attach the fraternity's flag, a giant piece of red cloth emblazoned with the motto "Truth, Service, and Brotherhood," and hook it to a pole on the top of the float. He made it to the top of the float just fine, but then he looked down and the vertigo started. Trying to catch himself from swaying more, Clark grabbed at the pole and missed and slipped. He landed caught on two of the stands, lying flat between them, with the flag halfway draped around his shoulders and halfway rippling behind him in the breeze. 

 

Humiliated, he untangled himself from the stands and their covering of blue crepe paper and struggled back to the top where this time he managed to firmly affix the flag without looking anywhere. By the time he climbed down, the laughter had died down. Most of the kids were trying not to giggle. The shift leader was trying the hardest, and looking the sorriest. Clark wanted to stomp off, but the leader got in front of him before he could and invited him to the party they were having that night. When Clark looked at him with narrowed eyes, the boy's look and tone became more sincere, so Clark left him with a non-committal "I'll see."

 

The afternoon wasn't much better. Ms. Lane was still off on her interviewing trip, so he didn't have to endure her scrutiny. Unfortunately, though, some of the blue crepe paper from the float had sort of glued itself to his sneaker, and some dweeb researcher had the nerve to give him hell for using blue toilet paper. To top his day off, Lois called in five minutes before he was to leave and made him double check all the figures the former Assistant City Manager had given her against the invoices he'd tracked before. 

 

In need of some cheering up, Clark decided he would go to the party, after all. It was at an off-campus apartment in the University District and other than the guy who invited him, he didn't know anyone there. He stood around, uncomfortably, watching younger guys around a keg of beer, flirting with girls, laughing at jokes, pushing each other, arguing over the stereo's booming music about how the offensive line will hold up under Missouri's football team's onslaught. There was a poker game scrunched into a corner, and Clark was invited to join, but he passed and slipped out into the night. The sooner he put this day to and end, the better.

 

Of course, the day disagreed with him, completely. Two blocks from the party, he heard sounds of a struggle. He tracked it down and discovered an elderly man standing by a late model blue Hyundai. The car's right front tire was flat and three tough looking boys were taunting the man and yelling at him to hand over his wallet. Clark dispatched the boys, easily, then changed the man's tire. He was grateful, and self-deprecating and wouldn't stop talking about how he should have checked the tires before he left that morning. His final, "An ounce of prevention would have saved me a pound of grief and you a lot of trouble, young man," reminded Clark so much of his father that he almost couldn't stand it. 

 

That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. Tonight he was going to run home to Mom.

 

He dropped by the dorm first and went through his evening routine. He packed an overnight bag while he thought over his whole day. There was a lot about it that could have been better, but he was still glad he'd gotten out and met some people. At least no one could accuse him of not trying.

 

Next he made his nightly call to Lex's personal assistant, Charles, who answered the phone with "Good evening, Clark. Lex still won't take your call." As he did every night, Charles assured him that Lex was fine, without giving out any details. They chatted for a few minutes about the weather, the Sharks, but Clark no longer tried to give Charles any details about his life, nor did he expect Charles to give him any details about Lex's life. After two years of rebuffs, he'd finally quit trying.

 

Phone call done, Clark took the lead box out of its drawer and sat looking at it for fifteen minutes. He said a silent prayer that someday that evening phone call would go differently. Finally, he grabbed his overnight bag and took off for Smallville and, hopefully, some much needed comfort.

 

Mom was fast asleep by the time he arrived, so he crept into his old bedroom as quietly as he could. He'd been back a couple of times before, but the room looked different tonight. He guessed Martha had moved some things around. There were some boxes stuck in the back of his closet, and she'd filled the drawers he'd left empty with neatly folded material. He wondered if she was going to turn his old bedroom into a sewing room or something. It was so stereotypical that it made him laugh a little. At least his old bed still felt like it should.

 

Breakfast the next morning was scrambled eggs, muffins and cantaloupe. Mom looked tired, sipping her coffee deliberately and slowly and watching him eat.

 

"How's school going, sweetheart?" she finally asks.

 

"It's okay. I like journalism class, but history is boring."

 

"Have you made any new friends?"

 

Clark would usually cringe at that question, but at least today he could give her a sort-of decent answer. "I've met a couple of people, Mom. I joined a service organization. And I'm going to help out with some liaison group."

 

"With a what?"

 

"It's a volunteer group that helps visitors and prospective students feel welcome."

 

"Oh. Well, that's sounds nice, Clark. Just be careful."

 

"I know, mom. That's why I picked it. I get to meet people, but I won't be under any scrutiny, and besides, they'll be too focused on the school to care about the dork who's showing them around."

 

"Clark Kent! You are not a dork!"

 

"You’re my mom. You have to say that," he said, grinning brightly.

 

After a quick hello to mom's farmhands Clark got ready for the run back to Metropolis. He was suppose to be at the office by nine, and it was already eight forty-five, but then it would only take him a few minutes to get there. He gave his mother a quick kiss on the forehead and a hug and took off running through the cornfields.

 

Upon arriving in Metropolis, Clark went straight to the Administration Offices. Sandi wasn't there that morning, but another cheery-looking girl handed him a name badge that told the world his name was Clark Kent. He asked about his assignment and cheery-looking-girl nodded her head towards the waiting room. Clark followed with his eyes and there his assignment was, leaning against a wall looking every bit as slinky and sexy and God! 

 

Clark's first thought was that he couldn't do this. But then, Lex looked up and caught Clark's eye. He couldn't very well sneak out then. Besides, this was the man he'd been desperately and unsuccessfully trying to talk to for two years. Just because he hadn't had time to psyche himself up for it actually happening, now, was no reason to let the opportunity go by.

 

He also knew he was gaping at the man, so he screwed up his courage and walked over. Lex really did look wonderful. He could wear a sharp business suit better than anyone and he stood in the waiting room as if he owned it and the entire University surrounding it. During this visual assessment, Clark noticed a rather severe-looking dark-haired woman standing nearby. She's obviously very tense and alert.

 

"Hello, Clark. That's my associate, Mercy, you're staring at."

 

"Oh, I'm sorry."

 

"It's okay," Lex said, laughing a little under his breath. "How have you been?"

 

"Um, I'm good. What … why are you here?"

 

"I'm here to interview graduate students from the Engineering Department. Are you okay, Clark? If this bothers you, I can take care of myself."

 

Damn, he was blowing it, and he hadn't even spoken more than a few words. But he thought that Lex was also just trying to make this easy on him. No way was he taking it. He'd signed up to liaise and Lex was here to be liaised with. So, he'll liaise. 

 

"No, I'm fine. I just guess I was startled for a moment, and this is my first time volunteering here."

 

Lex laughed again. "That's okay. I've interviewed here a few times before, so I guess I'll be showing you how it's done. My HR Manager set the meetings up at the Student Union, so if you'll lead the way, let's get started."

 

They walked to the Student Union from the Admin Building. Clark felt terribly awkward, but the small talk they made feels oddly comfortable, as if he'd walked out of Lex's office at the mansion one day, and come back the next, and the furniture had been arranged, but Lex was still there, shooting pool. 

 

The most direct path went right by University Boulevard, which meant the homecoming parade was traveling in plain view parallel to them. Lex tapped him on the shoulder, wanting to stop and watch for a few seconds.

 

"Haven't you seen your share of these?" Clark asked.

 

"Not in my right mind. I was too busy abusing substances both licit and illicit to take part of any college traditions."

 

"I'm sure you were having more fun, though."

 

"I thought so at the time, but now I regret it. I hope you're not missing out on anything you'll regret.

 

Clark started to say, "Only being around you," but thought better of it.

 

"See the float with people in costumes and the big red flag?"

 

"The SAA float? Yeah."

 

"I helped build it."

 

"That's great, Clark. It's very nice."

 

"Lex, you don't have to humor me. It's just a float."

 

Lex shrugged and Clark smiled and they proceeded to make their way to the Student Union. There were small rooms on the second floor set aside for meetings and recruiting interviews. Clark found the one assigned to LexCorp and asked if there was anything else Lex needed.

 

"No, I think I'm fine. But this shouldn't take to long if you don't mind waiting until I'm through."

 

"I don't mind, but I'm a little surprised. I thought the last time we spoke you made it clear you didn't particularly want me around, what with agreeing with my mom that I should stay away."

 

"I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't mean to make you mad."

 

"I'm not mad. I'm confused."

 

"Then please do wait and I'll explain what I can." With that, Lex turned to meet the interviewee who had just come up the stairs to the second floor office.

 

Clark plunked down in a nearby armchair and stayed with Mercy, outside the room, while Lex interviewed. She never spoke a word to him, so he spent the entire time trying not to listen in or look through the walls to see what Lex was doing. 

 

Two more grad students dropped by, and Clark began to wonder what not taking very long meant to Lex. He was hungry, he was taking time away from the Planet and studying to do this. If he was finally going to be around Lex after all this time, he'd rather use the time and energy asking questions, like why after two years of Clark trying everything, including every superpower he had of not being able to be face-to-face with his former friend, was he suddenly alone with him now? His mind started doing that over-working thing it used to do in Smallville and Clark suddenly found himself out of the chair and pacing right into Lex's chest. Oops. 

 

Lex kind of bounced off him with a laugh and Mercy was reaching for something until Lex raised a hand to stop her.

 

"You okay?

 

"Yeah, just…"

 

"Bored?"

 

"Hungry."

 

Lex grinned. "Isn’t that your natural state? I'm done here. Is the food in the SU still as abominable as it was eleven years ago?"

 

"I think it may be the exact same food."

 

"Is Luigi's still around?"

 

”It is. But, Lex, homecoming. It's about as big as my dorm room and every alum who's in town is going to be there before the game. We'll never get in."

 

"Right. So much for good greasy pizza. Aren't you interning at the Planet? Let's head that way and I'll treat you to steaks at The Prime Cut.”

 

Well now, that was an interesting thing for Lex to know.

 

Inside the restaurant it was quiet and warm. They were seated in a corner booth and Lex seemed to relax into it like nothing had changed between them. Mercy sat in the booth behind them.

 

Clark felt the brain overworking and the questions started spilling out before he could catch himself.

 

"So, you were going to explain."

 

Lex sipped his water. "At the time, it was for your own safety. You know that, Clark."

 

"But now?"

 

"While my father's death may have removed most of the danger, I still haven't been able to talk to you."

 

"Right. So Lionel died over a year ago and you still wouldn't take my calls. I've never gotten past your building's security." Not to mention the lead paint coating on the interior rooms that made his X-ray vision useless. "Why just show up now? 

 

"Ah, that's the old Clark I knew and loved."

 

"Loved?"

 

"It's a saying, Clark. For God's sake, if you're going to accuse me of something, just spit it out."

 

"No, I don't know. And you don't seem like you've started investigating me or anything. But it's too weird to be a coincidence that you show up to do interviews the same weekend I sign up to help with recruiters."

 

”What information do you think you have that I'd be interested in? I took Biology, American History and Calculus when I was in college. I didn't take journalism, but I'm not interested in it enough to steal your notes."

 

Clark thought it was interesting that, in addition to knowing about his internship, Lex knew what classes he took. 

 

He also thought about the disk he crushed years ago and the things he'd seen and done over the two years they'd been separated and wondered what Lex knew about that. He refrained from asking, though, because he's determined not to be as quick to accuse as was when their friendship ended in Smallville.

 

Instead, Lex has a question of his own. "Did you know I was coming on campus to interview before you signed up for this duty?"

 

"No."

 

"So you think I have some sort of evil mind control power that made you sign up for it?"

 

"Well, no.”

 

”Well, there you go."

 

Clark rolled his eyes.

 

"Okay.” Lex said. "True confessions. It's half coincidence and half not. I've had the recruiting interviews set up for two weeks now, and it's the third year in a row I've done recruiting on homecoming weekend." 

 

Lex paused to give the waitress an order for two ribeyes, a twenty-ounce bone-in ribeye for Clark and an eight-ounce filet for himself, along with baked potatoes and salads. The smells had Clark almost drooling. Other than the trip back this week, which had featured only breakfast, his internship kept him from zipping home for more than the briefest visits, and after two months of dorm cafeteria and snack machine food, the scents wafting from the restaurant's kitchen were like ambrosia to him.

 

The pause went on too long and Clark looked up from his reverie to watch Lex buttering a roll. He looked healthier than he had in Smallville. Still fit and trim, but the pallor and dark circles under his eyes were gone and his fit-and-trimness seemed to have more muscle behind it. 

 

Lex returned Clark's stare for a moment, then ate the roll. Clark found himself watching Lex chew, watching him lick a drop of melted butter off his fingers and suddenly he remembered how much Lex used to drive him wild with water bottles and pool cues.

 

"The part that's not a coincidence is that I dropped by the Administration Building yesterday afternoon to make sure everything was set up correctly. The girls there kind of like me, so they let me look at the volunteer list. You weren't randomly assigned to me, Clark. I chose you."

 

"Oh." That was… that was something. "Why?"

 

"Because I missed you. No matter how badly our friendship ended, I've always cared about you. Always wished it could have been different."

 

"Why now and not when I've called oh, about a hundred million times?"

 

"I wouldn't have, if the coincidence hadn't happened. I promised your mom I wouldn't seek you out or try to contact you in any way. But I don't think even Martha Kent can fault me for taking advantage of a coincidence like this."

 

"You came to my father's funeral."

 

"Yes, and I honored her wishes and stood apart from you and your friends and family and didn't try to talk to you."

 

"I'm sorry she made you promise that."

 

"In some ways, I am too. But that promise meant you were out from under my influence, and I'm not sorry about that. You've grown into a wonderful person."

 

"God, Lex, you sound like someone's old Uncle Ned or something."

 

They both laughed at that. 

 

As he studied the dessert menu, Lex said, "I just meant I wouldn't undo those years, even though I missed you. Now, I'm going to order you a slice of the Death by Chocolate cake and I expect you to eat it in more than two bites. And you can tell me about your classes and the dorm and the first time you had to do laundry while you're at it."

 

After lunch, Lex dropped Clark off at the Planet. 

 

"I'm sure you're very busy these days with college stuff."

 

"Not really."

 

"Not going to any of the big homecoming parties tonight?"

 

"I wasn't planning on it Homecoming's not my favorite event."

 

"Clark, that scarecrow thing was years ago. It's time you had some better homecoming memories. I know a couple of guys at the Sigma Nu house and they always invite me. I guess they want the "Luthor buzz" associated with them. Want to come with me?"

 

A fraternity party really wasn't high on his list of things he wanted to do, but spending more time with Lex was, so he agreed to be picked up at eight.

 

"No questions about the past, though."

 

Another thing he wasn't sure he wanted, but again, he agreed. 

 

And Clark wanted to give three cheers that Lois was back from her trip, because now he could tell her he not only had plans for the night, but that he was hanging out at a fraternity house. That ought to shut her up. If only he could tell her who he was going with, but then she'd start pestering him about knowing Lex Luthor and he'd never hear the end of it.

 

Lex picked him up right on time. He was dressed in Lex-casual, the way he used to, in Smallville, black pants that fit his body perfectly, and a soft gray sweater. Mercy was there again and Clark realized he was going to have to get used to her. He’d rather get back to being used to the way Lex looked in those pants.

 

The fraternity house was more like a madhouse. Susie the-Tri-Delt Clifton, the winner of the homecoming queen election, was a little sister of this house and her mere presence had brought forth the millions, not that the house wouldn't be packed anyway. 

 

Lex went to get them drinks and then he, Clark and Mercy stood around watching. Mercy was very obviously uncomfortable with the crowd. She looked like she'd jump out of her skin if you said boo to her.

 

A band was setting up, but there wasn't going to be much room to dance. The alums who had come were mostly already staggeringly drunk in a boorish way, leering at the young girls on the dance floor and telling lame jokes. The frat boys were wild and drunk and silly in the way Clark had seen them before on campus. They were all happy drunk, though, so Met U must have won the game. If it weren't for Lex he'd be instantly bored. 

 

Shouting over the music, Clark asked Lex if he knew any of these people.

 

"I think I know the guy who's standing on top of the pool table singing, but if you ever tell anyone that, I'll have Mercy take care of you."

 

"So, not really, huh?"

 

"Not really."

 

"Good, because I don't think you fit in with this bunch."

 

"I've never really fit in anywhere, Clark."

 

"I know what you mean. I never have, either. And I'm pretty sure my attempts to fit into the University crowd are doomed to fail." Clark said.

 

"You may not fit in, but that's always been because you were the best thing around."

 

"I thought we weren't talking about the past," Clark said as a couple of guys stumbled into them, spilling their drinks.

 

"I know," Lex said, wiping the beer off his sweater. “But the present is not particularly pleasant.”

 

“And it smells like someone trashed a liquor store.”

 

Lex motioned to Mercy, who looked tremendously relieved, and they left the Sigma Nu house to walk around campus. As they neared the stadium, the ground was littered with blue and white pennants from the game. 

 

"Do you ever get homesick, Lex?" Clark asked

 

"Metropolis is my home."

 

"I know, but, I mean for Smallville or for the house you grew up in."

 

"Yeah. I guess I always am, a little."

 

"The last time I went home to see mom it didn't feel right. Not that she wasn't welcoming, but, I don't know. It was just different."

 

Lex nodded. "That's just the way it is. You grow up and things change. Even if you can go home again, it doesn't feel the same. At least, it never did to me. Not after the meteors, or after my mother died, after the island, after Belle Reve, after dad had me poisoned."

 

Without thinking, Clark stopped walking and brushed Lex's arm with his hand. They were in the doorway of Clark's dormitory now, and Lex was backlit by the light above it. Clark leaned in and brushed a soft kiss across Lex's lips.

 

When Lex didn't bolt, Clark was happily surprised. He didn't kiss back, either, but Clark would take what he could get. At least he had an in now. Lex refused to come in, but did give him a hug and then left him with the most hopeful words he had heard in years.

 

"See you 'round, Clark."

 

Back in his room, Clark started his nightly routine. Sitting at his desk, he realized he wouldn't do a single thing differently this day if he could, wouldn't want anything to change. Spending the day with Lex felt like home. And while Lex was right that it didn't feel the same, if he could manage to not go overboard and push things, if he could hang onto their friendship now, it might end up being an even better kind of home.

 

He assumed Lex would say something to Charles, so there's no need for the nightly phone call. Instead he moved on to the final part of his routine and took out the little lead box, and sat on the bed to say his evening prayers. For a change they were mostly thanks. Jonathan once told him that sometimes prayers are answered without our knowing it, and sometimes they're answered in ways we could never have imagined. That would be the one platitude he'd seen evidence of now and could really believe. 

 

Clark put the box up and crawled into bed, his mind still buzzing with thoughts. He fell asleep thinking that what he really needed now was a new routine.


End file.
